ismailia-第21章

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only　my　chief　medical　officer；　but　combined　the　scientific　attainments
of　a　botanist　and　naturalist。

I　had　made　every　preparation　for　cutting　through　the　sudd；　and　we　were
well　prepared　with　many　hundred　sharp　bill…hooks；　switching…hooks；
bean…hooks；　sabres；　&c。　I　had　also　some　hundred　miners'　spades；　shovels；
&c。；　in　case　it　might　be　necessary　to　deepen　the　shallows。　While　the
whole　English　party　were　full　of　spirit　and　determined　to　succeed；　I
regret　to　say　there　was　a　general　feeling　of　disappointment　among　the
Egyptian　troops　（including　officers）　that　the　expedition　was　once　again
in　full　sail　towards　the　south。　Their　hearts　were　either　at　Khartoum；　or
sighing　for　the　flesh…pots　of　Egypt。　I　had　lost　many　men　from　sickness
during　our　sojourn　at　Tewfikeeyah；　and　the　men　were　disheartened　and
depressed。　This　feeling　was　increased　by　the　unfortunate　recurrence　of
the　fast　of　Ramadan；　during　which　month　the　Mohammedans　will　neither
eat；　drink；　nor　smoke　from　sunrise　till　sunset。　The　Koran　exempts　them
from　the　observance　of　this　pernicious　fast　when　on　a　long　journey；　but
my　people　preferred　to　keep　it　religiously；　as　it　would　be　a　plausible
excuse　for　neglecting　work。

The　Nile　was　full　and　unusually　high；　this　was　in　favour　of　the　voyage；
as　success　depended　upon　our　crossing　the　shallows　during　the　flood；　it
was；　therefore；　necessary　to　push　on　with　all　speed　so　as　to　reach　the
shallows　which　had　been　impassable　last　April；　before　the　river　should
fall。

It　will　now　be　necessary　to　refer　to　my　original　journal；　as　it　would　be
difficult　to　convey　an　idea　of　the　voyage　by　a　general　description。　A
few　hours　after　starting；　on　11th　December　1870；　I　find　this
entry：〃Thank　goodness；　we　are　off；　and　in　good　time；　as　the　river　is
exceedingly　high；　although　it　has　already　fallen　about　five　inches　from
its　maximum。　Mr。　Higginbotham　has　been　ill　for　a　long　time。
Lieutenant…Colonel　Abd…el…Kader；　my　first　aide…de…camp；　although　an
excellent　officer；　is　almost　useless　from　ill…health；　thus　the　whole
work　falls　on　myself　and　Julian　（Lieutenant　Baker）　personally；　and　had　I
not　driven　the　officers　forward　from　sunrise　to　sunset；　we　should　not
have　been　off　for　another　two　months。　These　miserable　people　do　not
understand　energy；　and　the　Ramadan　increases　their　incapacity。

〃December　12。At　2。30　A。M。；　we　were　hailed　when　ten　minutes　within　the
Bahr　Giraffe；　by　two　noggurs　（vessels）　in　distress。　Stopped　the　steamer
immediately；　and　then　heard　that　the　No。　15　noggur；　their　consort；　had
sunk　in　deep　water；　close　to　this　spot。

〃At　day…break　I　searched　the　river；　and　discovered　the　wreck　in　eighteen
feet　depth　of　water。　Two　good　divers　worked　for　about　two　hours；　and
recovered　three　muskets　and　several　copper　cooking　pots　belonging　to　the
soldiers。　The　story　of　the　reis　（captain）　is；　that　she　sprang　a　plank
at　about　4　A。M。；　six　days　ago；　while　under　sail　with　a　light　wind；　and
she　filled　and　sank　immediately；　the　men　having　barely　time　to　save
themselves。　Unfortunately；　she　had　on　board；　in　addition　to　one　hundred
urdeps　of　corn　（450　bushels）；　a　section　of　one　of　Samuda's　steel
lifeboats；　this　was　placed　upon　the　corn；　before　the　mast；　but　having　an
air…tight　compartment；　it　must　have　floated　away　in　the　dark　without
being　noticed。

〃The　story　of　the　reis　is　false；　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　crew　and
soldiers　were　fast　asleep；　and　the　vessel　was　run　into　by　one　of　her
consorts。　Had　the　people　been　awake；　the　least　movement　of　the　helm
would　have　run　the　vessel　high　and　dry　in　this　narrow　river；　as　the
banks　are　flooded；　and　she　was　close　to　the　side。　As　the　collision
occurred；　the　people；　suddenly　awakened　from　sleep；　were　seized　with
panic；　and　only　thought　of　saving　themselves；　thus　the　noggur　lies　in
three…fathom　water；　and　the　invaluable　section　of　a　lifeboat　is　lost。
The　worry　and　disappointment；　together　with　the　loss　of　property；
occasioned　by　these　people；　is　beyond　all　description。　Every　man　detests
the　expedition。　The　boats　are　nearly　all　old　and　rotten；　and　with　such
wretched　material　I　have　to　conduct　this　fleet　with　30；000l。　worth　of
property。　I　dread　the　probable　loss　of　some　vessel　laden　with　sections
of　the　lake　steamers；　in　which　case　the　expedition　would　be　ruined　in
spite　of　all　my　care。　I　trust　that　the　floating　portion　of　the　life　boat
may　be　picked　up　by　some　of　Agad's　vessels　in　the　rear。

〃Leaving　the　hopeless　wreck；　we　continued　the　voyage　at　10。50　A。M。；　in
company　with　the　two　noggurs；　with　a　brisk　north　wind。　At　5。20　P。M。；　we
stopped　at　a　forest　to　collect　firewood。

〃December　14。Started　at　7。30　A。M。　Thermometer；　Fahrenheit；　at　6　A。M。；
67　degrees；　noon；　85　degrees。　This　is　the　lowest　temperature　we　have
had。

〃Passed　a　number　of　our　vessels；　one　having　broken　her　yard。　At　12。5
stopped　at　a　forest　to　fill　up　with　wood。　While　looking　for　wood；　a
soldier　found　a　dead　elephant　with　tusks　that　weighed　about　120　lbs。　I
gave　him　a　present　of　five　dollars；　also　one　dollar　to　Saat　for　having
recovered　from　the　sunken　vessel　the　cooking　pots　and　muskets。

〃Wind　very　strong　from　north。　The　north　wind　always　commences　at　about　7
A。M。　and　increases　in　power　as　the　sun　rises。　It　sinks　together　with　the
setting　sun。　Although　the　country　is　all　that　we　could　wish；　there　is　no
game。　The　water…marks　upon　the　trees　show　that　the　maximum　of　the　river
has　been　a　foot　above　its　present　level。

〃December　16。Suleiman　Effendi's　diahbeeah　with　six　horses　passed　this
morning；　he　left　in　company　with　us；　as　did　also　the　new　noggur　that
passed　us　yesterday　morning；　thus　there　must　be　gross　negligence　on　the
part　of　the　twenty…one　vessels　still　remaining　in　the　rear。　Thermometer；
6　A。M。；　69　degrees；　noon；　88　degrees。　We　shot　seven　guinea…fowl。

〃December　17。I　see　four　vessels　about　six　miles　ahead　that　are　only
now　making　sail！　thus　they　have　been　stopping　for　two　days。　In　the
afternoon　the　two　diahbeeahs　of　the　Englishmen　came　up；　and　gave　us　the
terrible　news　that　one　of　the　vessels　had　sunk　near　the　mouth　of　the
river　Sobat　on　the　day　of　our　departure　from　Tewfikeeyah；　this　vessel
was　laden　with　portions　of　the　38…ton　steamer。

〃I　immediately　ordered　steam　to　be　got　up；　and　at　4。20　P。M。　we　started
to　return　120　miles　to　the　wreck。　It　appears　that　Raouf　Bey；　with　many
other　vessels；　was　in　company　with　the　lost　noggur。　To　work　in　this
country　is　simply　heart…breaking；　the　material　is　utterly　worthless；
boats；　officers；　and　men　are　all　alike。　The　loss　of　invaluable　time　is
ruinous；　and　the　ignorance　of　the　people　is　such　that　they　can　do
nothing　by　themselves；　thus　I　must　be　everywhere　and　superintend
everything　personally。

〃The　boatmen　say　the　rats　drag　out　the　rags　with　which　the　vessels　are
caulked　from　within；　thus　occasioning　sudden　and　dangerous　leaks；　but　in
such　a　case；　why　does　not　the　captain　run　his　vessel　ashore　to　prevent
sinking？

〃Before　starting；　I　despatched　a　letter　by　a　vessel　to　Suleiman　Effendi
at　the　sudd；　with　orders　to　commence　clearing　the　channel　without　loss
of　time。

〃At　7。40　P。M。　made　out　a　light　ahead；　and　shortly　afterwards　we　met
Raouf　Bey's　diahbeeah　tied　to　the　bank　alongside　of　Achmet　Effendi；　the
bimbashi's　vessel。　Raouf　Bey　came　on　board　and　confirmed　the　bad　news。
They　describe　the　sunken　vessel　as　lying　with　her　stem　about　a　foot
below　the　surface；　but　her　stern　is　in　very　deep　water。　I　gave　orders
for　steam　to　be　up　at　daylight；　and　we　halted　for　the　night；　as　it　is
dangerous　to　travel　down　stream　with　a　steamer　in　this　narrow　winding
river。

〃December　18。Started　at　6。25　A。M。　Then；　68　degrees；　noon；　81　degrees。　
At　noon　we　met　Colonel　Tayib　Agha　and　twelve　vessels。　I　ordered　three　of
these　vessels　to　turn　back　immediately　to　the　wreck；　as　I　am　determined
to　raise　her；　if　possible。

〃At　12。37　P。M。　we　reached　the　spot　where　we　had　passed　the　first　wreck
in　the　Bahr　Giraffe。　At　exactly　2　P。M。　we　reached　the　Nile　junction。　At
6。50　P。M。　we　distinguished　the　mast　of　the　wreck　above　water；　almost
opposite　the　Sobat　junction；　on　the　west　side　of　the　river。　Having
passed　the　wreck　we　reached　our　old　station　Tewfikeeyah　at　7。30　P。M。
Here　we　found　a　number　of　Shillooks；　with　Quat　Kare's　counsellor；
Abdullah；　who　were　guarding　a　quantity　of　corn　that　I　had　left　in　the
king's　charge；　as　our　vessels　were　too　heavily　laden　to　carry　it。

〃December　19。Thermometer；　6　A。M。；　64　degrees；　noon；　79　degrees。　I　sent
Abdullah　with　orders　to　the　king；　Quat　Kare；　to　collect　all　his　people
with　their　ambatch　canoes　to　assist　us　in　raising　the　wreck。

〃The　Shillooks　have　already　taken　possession　of　our　old　station；　and
have　divided　it　into　lots　for　planting。

〃December　20。Thermometer　at　6　A。M。　66　degrees；　noon；　78　degrees；　the
water　in　the　goolah　（cooler）；　59　degrees。　The　wind　blows　a　gale　from　the
north　daily。

〃I　have　just　heard　that　Raouf　Bey　and　the　two　colonels；　Tayib　Agha　and
Achmet　Effendi；　together　with　about　400　men；　actually　abandoned；　not
only　the　wrecked　vessel　and　her　invaluable　cargo；　but　they　also　left　a
section　of　one　of　the　lifeboats　upon　the　mud　bank　of　the　river　and
forsook　it。　Such　conduct　is　incredible；　and　could　only　be　found　in　this
country。

〃At　3。15　P。M。；　the　steamer　having　replenished　her　wood；　we　started　and
arrived　at　the　wreck　at　4。35　P。M。　After　a　careful　examination　we　passed
the　night　at　the　high　ground　near　the　Sobat　junction。

〃The　section　of　the　lifeboat　is　no　longer　on　the　mud；　but　I　have　no
doubt　it　has　been　secured　by　the　governor　of　Fashoda；　together　with　the
yard　and　sail。　This　entails　the　necessity　of　my　sending　him　a　letter
seventy　miles　distant　to　order　the　return　of　the　boat　section
immediately。

〃December　21。Thermometer　at　6　A。M。；　63　degrees；　water　in　goolah；　52
degrees。　I　sent　Abdullah　Uz　Bashi　to　Tewfikeeyah　with　a　letter　to　the
governor　of　Fashoda；　which　the　Shillooks　were　to　forward　immediately。
The　letter　demands　eight　oxen；　ten　sheep；　the　section　of　lifeboat　saved
from　the　wreck；　together　with　the　yard　and　sail。

〃I　shot　two　small　antelopes；　also　some　guinea…fowl；　francolin　partridge；
and　five　pelicans。

〃December　22。Waiting　for　the　arrival　of　Quat　Kare　and　his　Shillooks。
Shot　two　geese　and　knocked　over　a　large　antelope；　but　lost　him　in　the
high　grass。　The　country　is　all　flooded；　except　for　a　space　of　about　a
mile　from　our　little　camp　on　the　Sobat　dubba；　which　is　the　highest
ground　for　a　great　distance；　being　about　fourteen　feet　above　the　maximum
level　of　the　river。　A　few　Shillooks　started　off　after　my　wounded
antelope；　and　quickly　brought　me　the　head：　it　was　a　fine　specimen　of　the
new　species　of　Hippotragus。

〃December　23。I　sent　the　steamer　up　the　White　Nile　to　bring　down　the
wind…bound　kyassas　（vessels）。　When　she　returned　with　them；　all　hands
were　immediately　employed　in　discharging　cargo　and　taking　down　masts　and
yards　in　readiness　for　operations　on　the　sunken　vessel。

〃December　21。Thermometer；　6　A。M。；　67　degrees；　noon；　82　degrees。
Abdullah；　the　Shillook；　arrived。　The　natives　have　not　forwarded　my
letter　to　the　governor　of　Fashoda；　as　they　fear　to　pass　certain　villages
with　which　they　have　been　lately　quarrelling。　To…day　is　the　close　of　the
Ramadan　fast；　and　the　first　of　the　Bairam；　therefore　it　is　kept